The Darkest Memories

A few days had passed since Link's conversation with Zelda in the dungeon, and he had been spending every waking moment trying to remember the details of his time in the Sacred Grove. It was as if something had unlocked a door in his mind, and he could feel the memories stirring, waiting to be set free. He had been trying to recall the specifics of his imprisonment, but it wasn't until he was sitting in the dimly lit dungeon, staring at the cold stone walls, that it all came flooding back. Link's eyes glazed over as he began to speak, his voice low and measured. "It started when I was five years old," he said, the words tumbling out of him like a confession. "I was taken to the Sacred Grove by the Kokiri, and they restrained me to the Master Sword. I was told that I had to wait for the sword to choose me, that I had to be still and pure in order for it to sense my heart." Zelda's grip on his hair tightened, her expression a mixture of concern and compassion. "What was it like?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper. Link took a deep breath, his eyes gazing into the distance. "It was...it was like being trapped in a nightmare," he said. "I was immobilized for years, just lying there, waiting. The Kokiri would come and visit me sometimes, bringing me food and water. They would talk to me, telling me that I was the chosen one, that I was destined for greatness." Zelda's eyes widened in horror. "And what about the sword?" she asked. "Did it...did it do anything to you?" Link's face contorted in a mixture of pain and sadness. "The Master Sword...it spoke to me," he said. "It would whisper to me, telling me that I was its chosen wielder, that I was the only one who could unlock its true power. But the Kokiri...they would use it to...to experiment on me. They would use it to probe my mind, to see if I was pure enough to wield it." Zelda's expression was a mixture of shock and disgust. "What else did they do to you?" she asked, her voice trembling. Link's voice cracked as he continued. "They would perform tests on me, physical and mental. They would push me to my limits, seeing how much I could endure. They would make me go without food and water, without sleep. They would make me face my deepest fears, and they would watch as I struggled to overcome them." Zelda's eyes welled up with tears as she listened to Link's story. She couldn't believe what she was hearing, couldn't believe that the Kokiri would do such things to a child. She reached out, gently stroking Link's hair as he continued. "It lasted for 12 years," he said, his voice barely above a whisper. "12 years of my life, trapped in that grove, trapped in my own mind. They would make me believe that I was the one who was wrong, that I was the one who was flawed. They would make me doubt my own sanity, my own perceptions." Zelda's grip on his hair tightened, her expression a mixture of sadness and anger. "I'm so sorry, Link," she said, her voice cracking. "I'm so sorry that you had to go through that." Link's eyes flashed with a hint of pain, but he didn't pull away. Instead, he leaned into Zelda's touch, letting her comfort him as he continued to share his darkest memories. As he spoke, Zelda listened, her heart going out to him, her mind racing with thoughts of how she could help him heal. She knew that it wouldn't be easy, that it would take time and patience, but she was determined to help Link overcome his trauma, to help him master the Cortana and save their kingdom.